Everything in moderation, including moderation
by Ms.Funbags
Summary: 5 years at PPTH and House has survived, deserves a celebration!


**Everything in moderation****…including**** moderation. **

Warning: the health police will not like this fic!

I'm sick of starting fics and not following through! I seem to get ideas but just loose momentum so this is definitely going to be short and sweet, started as a oneshot but I decided to split it into two, so here is part une. Please review, all suggestions welcome as usual!

Cameron glanced up from her charts as the door to the conference room swung open and Cuddy's head appeared, "Where's House?"

"Took off – decided he'd earned himself the afternoon off"

Cuddy's eyes rolled "why do I bother? Oh well, you should head too – that was a difficult case, enjoy your weekend"

Cameron's face instantly lit up "Thanks, I think I'll take you up on that! Have a good one"

Cuddy headed back to her office, the small wooden case still in hand.

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As the sun sank behind her, Cuddy glanced at the clock and realized why she was starting to get hunger pains, it was way past dinner time and lunch had been almost non-existent; she was also running low on time if any sort of acknowledgement was going to be made today. Grabbing her long leather coat and scarf she headed for the car park, slipping the box into her bag on the way out the door. As she swept through the carpark she began to think how 5 years could pass so quickly, and despite the stress and heartache it caused she would probably never change it given the chance. Her hospital was her world and her staff had almost become like an extended family, which in its own way was nice seen as she didn't see much of her own family these days. She had been Dean for almost 6 years and remembered what it was like when she started out, how Wilson was her godsend for the first few months settling in but of course, it wasn't long before she was happily calling the shots and getting the various messes in order, one of which being the gaping hole on the third floor.

Gregory House was well known for his remarkable skill as a specialist in several areas, he could even turn his hand to surgery when pushed but after the infarction he seemed to slip under the radar. Lisa Cuddy however, was nothing if not an opportunist and when her brainchild of a dedicated diagnostics team was met with approval from the board she had only one candidate in mind.

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Cuddy drove up a familiar street and pulled up outside the dark apartment building, noticing a dim light on in the ground floor, as always. As she knocked on the door she heard the heavy footsteps of the man inside approach and a sharp clunk as she presumed a cane found it's place on the door frame. The door opened to reveal an aging rocker – or so it would appear. House had shed his shirt of the day and loosened his belt but had managed to trim what was leaning on the wrong side of 'beard' so was back to a subtle scruffyness of day-old stubble.

"I'm not coming back in – I don't care if you are offering _services_"

"Very clever, I'm actually heading home but wanted to bring something by"

House eyeballed her for a moment before pushing the door open further and stepping back, as Cuddy stepped inside he gave her the full up and down, taking in the long leather coat shielding the icy winds outside. "How very thoughtful, I choose the red pill, just don't run up the walls I'm too crippled to repaint"

"You'd choose any pill – and I'll have you know this was very expensive, not some sci-fi film rip off"

"You say that like you expect me to believe you don't have the matching shades in your car, please tell me you have the boots too!"

"No comment" She gave him a sly smile "Anyway, as usual _you_ digress – I did actually bring you something"

"Is it underneath the coat by any chance?" Behind the comments House was surprised at his own sudden change in mood, only 5 minutes ago he was on his 3rd scotch and contemplating breaking out his old Morrissey records when the door went

"For you, Happy Anniversary" Cuddy presented him with the small box and felt really quite touched when she saw the brief look of surprise and gratitude in his eyes

"I knew you had taken advantage of me at the fundraiser last year"

She rolled her eyes and smiled, "Well, that too, but I thought I should acknowledge our 5 year anniversary, half a decade and you've survived against the odds"

"Escaped murder you mean"

"Tomaeto Tomato"

House began to examine the case in his hands, it had been so long since he had received a gift it was almost like a puzzle for him. The mahogany wood had a subtle carving around the edge, and the hinges on the back were a highly polished brass, matching the hasp on the front of the case. As he flipped open the small gate and eased the box open the smell wafted toward him, and already he was appreciating the gift.

"Dr Cuddy, unless I'm mistaken these aren't 100 legal in the country"

"I didn't realize you had such a change of heart with regards to the law – I'll take them back then"

His grip tightened on the sides of the box "I wasn't protesting – merely observing" It wasn't a sight many are privileged to but his face seemed to soften, as he turned to head toward the kitchen. Cuddy wasn't sure if this was her cue to leave but as he disappeared behind the doorframe she heard him call though "you staying?"


End file.
